TWO Ulster finals in two days for St Ciaran’s, Ballygawley and once again they are up against Derry opposition.
Yesterday it was St Conor’s, Clady/Kilrea in Celtic Park in the Danske Bank McDevitt Cup final, tonight their opponents in the Danske Bank Arthurs Cup final are St Colm’s, Draperstown – the only team to beat them this season.
That defeat came in the middle of the three group games for the teams back in October, and there was just a point between them.
The other group games provides a contrast between the teams.
While St Ciaran’s scored a combined 14 goals and 30 points against Loreto, Coleraine and St Columb’s, Derry they conceded 5-23.
St Colm’s only scored 4-18, but they conceded a miserly 15 points.
Both schools were tested in their quarter-finals with St Colm’s edging out Rathmore Grammar by 0-11 to 0-8 while St Ciaran’s took out another city school, St Malachy’s, by 2-6 to 1-7.
Then both hit 1-13 in the semi-finals over the past fortnight, with Dean Maguirc, Carrickmore only getting 1-3 in response to St Colm’s and St Columb’s, Derry doing better (2-7) against Ballygawley.
St Ciaran’s had to come from 2-4 to 0-5 down at the break to win that semi-final with Ruairí Canavan’s goal a few minutes into the second half the pivotal score.
Indeed Canavan, son of former Tyrone star Peter and captain of the team, was the key player for St Ciaran’s with a 1-8 haul, only three points of which came from frees.
No fewer than seven clubs have players in their starting line-out with Galbally pair, Eoghan Carberry and Conal Quinn the main links in defence, and another Carberry, Barry, at centre-forward.
St Colm’s have the experienced Connor Shiels at centre half back.
He is on the Derry minor panel for the 2020 season, while Andy McBride, Joe McKenna, Conan Bradley and Caolan Fullerton were all members of the Derry Under 15 Development football squad 2019.
These players, along with Mark Wilson, Ryan McElhennon and full-forward Ryan McCullagh form the spine of the team that are hoping to push on from beating Carrickmore in the semi-final.
Draperstown took control early in the game and were not derailed by a goal late in the first half that left them just four points ahead at the break.
They dominated the early stages of the second half and were comfortable winners.
This final will be a tighter affair, similar to the group game between the two.
St Colm’s look to have the stronger team, but the individual brilliance of Canavan could still deny them a title.
